Oleksiy Vadaturskyi | |
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Олексій Вадатурський | |
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Born | |
Died | 31 July 2022 | (aged 74)
Cause of death | Missile strike on the city of Mykolaiv during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine |
Occupation | Owner of agricultural company Nibulon |
Spouse | Rayisa Vadaturska |
Children | Andriy Vadaturskyi |
Honours | Hero of Ukraine (2007) |
Oleksiy Opanasovych Vadaturskyi (Ukrainian: Олексій Опанасович Вадатурський; 8 September 1947 – 31 July 2022) was a Ukrainian agricultural and grain logistics businessman and the founder of Nibulon, the largest grain logistics company in Ukraine.[1] He was one of the wealthiest Ukrainians.[2][3]
In 2014, following the Russian annexation of Crimea and support of separatists in the Donbass regions, Vadaturskyi financed a 2,000-strong militia with army vehicles.[4] In 2018, he became one of 322 Ukrainians blacklisted by Russia.[5] Following the 2022 Russian invasion, the blockade of grain exports, and the grain export agreement of 22 July,[6] Vadaturskyi and his businesses were devising solutions to resume the normal flow of Ukrainian grain to foreign countries.[1]
Vadaturskyi was killed with his wife in the early hours of 31 July by Russian missile strikes on the city of Mykolaiv.[7] Seven or eight Russian missiles hit his house in the Zavodsky district, raising strong suspicions that Vadaturskyi was intentionally targeted and assassinated by Russia to affect the crop export industry of Ukraine.[1] Ukraine stated that the missile which killed Vadaturskyi belonged to the S-300 series of missiles.[8] Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called the missile strike a "premeditated murder [of] one of the most important agricultural entrepreneurs in the country".[9] The attack occurred as the first shipment of grain was getting ready to leave Ukraine on 1 August.[10] The orthodox funeral service for Vadaturskyi on 12 August in a Kyiv cathedral was attended by several hundred people, including the mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Senkevych.[8]
Vadaturskyi was succeeded by his son Andriy
, a politician, married with three children.In 2021, Forbes rated Vadaturskyi's net worth at $430 million and named him as Ukraine's 24th wealthiest person.[11][2]
Vadaturskyi was awarded the Hero of Ukraine in 2007, the country's highest honour, for his role in the development of Ukrainian agricultural industry.[8] Vadaturskyi was known as non-corruptible and pro-European.[4]